Sole for boots or shoes



(No Model.)

B. s. HARRIS. SOLE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

Patented Mar. 2, 1886.

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UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFI-cE.

ELMER S. HARRIS, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SOLE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

EPECII'IGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,060, dated March 2, 1886.

Application filed May 9, 1885. Serial No. 164,940. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ELMER S. HARRIS, of Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Soles for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of turned boots or shoes, al-

though applicable as well to other kinds of boots and shoes; and the invention consists in the preparation of a sole for a'boot or shoe previous to its being attached to the upper, all substantially as hereinafter fully described, reference being bad to the accompanyingplate of drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents in cross-section a shoe with a last within it having its sole prepared according to this invention and secured to the upper. Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section of the shoe shown in Fig. 1 as having had its sole attached to the upper and the shoe turned. Figs. 3 and 4. are cross-sections of the sole prepared according to this invention, and to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A represents a boot or shoe in cross-section, of which B is the sole, and C the upper secured together by stitches a.

The sole B is prepared for attachment to the upper in the following manner: The sole having first been cut from the proper material andshaped and rounded as usual, a slit is cut from the edge I) of the sole, but preferably close up to the surface or side d of the sole (which is the flesh side of the sole) by hand, or in any suitable machine, entirely around the edge of the sole and in a diagonal direction through the thickness of the sole, as shown at f in Fig. 3, more particularly making a lip, D, around the sole-edge and leaving a portion, E, of the sole the full thickness or substantially the full thickness ofthe sole at the edge b. The lip D is then turned back, and preferably nearlyto the side d of the sole, and the portion E turned back toward the side 9 of the sole, all substantially as shown in Fig. 4 more particularly, which can be done in any suitable manner. The sole is then ready to be and is attached to the upper substantially as follows: It is first tacked passing through the upper and through the k lip D, as shown at a, Fig. 1. The lip is then hammered down'close to the surface d of the sole, the shoe removed from the last, turned, and then the ordinary last inserted therein, and the portion E of the sole flattened or beaten out in the usual manner, as shown in cross-section in Fig. 2, and the shoe finished as usual.

A sole prepared as above described, having its portion E turned back as shown, enables, when sewing the upper to the sole in a sewing-machine more particularly, a straight needle to be used, which-is a great advantage over the present manner of sewing with a curved needle, which is required when the portion E is not turned back, but turning back, such portion, as shown, moves it out of the way, so that astraight needle can be used; also, the splitting of the sole in adiagonal direction enables the sole at its edge to be of the full thickness, or substantially the full thickness, of the material forming the sole; also, thins the edge of the lip for a close laying, when it is flattened or hammered down on the sole, of the lining, 820., thereon; also, secures at the place where the stitches pass through it the requisite thickness of material at such place for the attachment of the sole to the upper in a strong and durable manner; also, as substantially the full .thickness of the'sole' is secured at the edge b of the sole a saving of material is obtained over the present mode of preparing a sole when the slit is cut in a different manner or parallel to the surfaces, which, as is obvious, to show the same thickness of the sole at the edge and secure the requisite thickness of the lip I) where the stitches pass through it, would rcquirea much thicker piece of material for the sole.

In cutting the slit in the sole it can cornmence nearer the middle of the edge or at the ccaner; but it is preferable to commence close up to the side d of the sole, so as to leave the full width of such surfaced of the sole and secure as nearly as possible the full thickness of the soleat its edge.

It isdesirable that the lip D should be turned back substantially as far toward the side d as shown, in order to form a hollow or groove m, as it were, for the. sole to bear or rest by such groove on the guiding-edge of the usual post of asewing-machine used in sewing boots and shoes for theefiectual and practical guiding of the boot or shoe when being sewed in the machine.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 15-- A sole for aboot orshoe, havingali formed 20 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my 25 hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELMna s. HAI-RRIS. Witnesses:

EDWIN W. BROWN, WM. S. BELLONS. 

